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He may have lost his IBF middleweight world title in Atlantic City on the weekend but Daniel Geale has won many admirers with a gutsy and whole-hearted display.

Geale was on the wrong side of a split decision after an engaging fight with Darren Barker, with the Londoner walking away with his belt.

It was an engrossing bout that saw Barker rise off the canvas, after Geale landed a devastating shot to the body in the sixth round, and roar back to push ahead.

Geale was his usual self – awkward, quick and tough – showing his class and heart throughout the fight. It was a close bout, see-sawing and shifting as the momentum surged from the Aussie to the Pom, and vice versa, throughout.

But what perhaps surprised the Geale camp was the size of Barker’s ticker and his fitness, as he was the busier of the two fighters over the full 12 rounds and refused to give up in the sixth.

Barker is known for fading over the final rounds in previous fights but in this one he didn’t, apart from the 12th, which Geale dominated.

A courageous Barker threw more punches and landed more, according to CompuBox.

The 31-year old from Barnet threw a total of 862 punches, compared to the Tasmanian’s 693, and landed more as well, 292 to 259. This included jabs (280 to 190) and power punches (598 to 503). It was Barker’s aggression and higher activity that earned him the decision.

Interestingly, Geale was more accurate with his punching.

The 32-year old had a 37% effective rate compared with Barker’s 34%. I think that shows just how close this fight was, and how well Geale fought as well.

Barker was on the front foot for most of the bout and dictated the pace, which was easier on the eye. Geale counter-punched strongly and his defence was sound, but Barker’s higher work-rate was telling.

Geale has been the winner of two split decisions before in title fights, both against Germans in Germany, so it was third time unlucky.

Judging in boxing is notoriously difficult, and sometimes murky, and in my own scoring I could have envisaged a draw or a split decision such was the 50-50 nature of many of the rounds. In the end some of the scoring was strange – one judge had it 116-111 for Barker, and that judge was the only one to give Geale the 12th round, one of the few that he very clearly won.

Regardless I don’t think Geale was robbed like Jeff Fenech, Geale’s former trainer has claimed, just unlucky.

Barker came in with a’Rocky’-like story and would just not give in, so fair credit to him.

Geale was obviously shattered after the fight, saying: “While I’m not going to whinge about the result, I’ve already heard a lot of people say that he didn’t do enough to take the title from me. But what can you do? I know it wasn’t my best performance and, to be honest, I’ve just got no explanation for it. I couldn’t find my spot tonight.”

So where to now for the western-Sydney based boxer?

Obviously a rest and return to his family first up. The Sydney Olympian’s career is in no way over, just because he lost his title.

He may have been defeated for only the second time but Geale seems to have largely won over many US fight fans, according to most American media reports. Geale-Barker was a classic, a really entertaining battle, and a re-match could be on the cards.

Next it seems that Barker will face his IBF mandatory, which appears to be Felix Sturm not Australian Sam Soliman, in December the UK.

It’s understood that Geale and Barker have a re-match in their contract, if Barker gets past his mandatory, and that would take place in 2014. Gary Shaw, Geale’s promoter, has options on Barker’s contract.

So all is not lost.

Geale would most likely have a tune-up fight, probably back in Australia, to prepare himself for another crack at Barker.

Geale is someone who is willing to travel to fight, so a bout in the UK could be on the cards. His second professional loss also doesn’t mean that his chances of facing Sergio Martinez or Gennady Golovkin are shot either.

These two heavy-hitters might be more interested in Geale now, sensing fragility, and a possibly easier opponent. Time will tell.

Boxing is all about getting knocked down and getting back up again. That’s the mark of a true champion. Daniel Geale will be back.

Geale has already knocked back an offer to fight Martinez with Gary Shaw claiming he wasn’t ready, and famously gave up his WBA belt to join the list of middleweights too scared to fight Golovkin, can’t see him fighting either of those two ever. He’ll continue to contest for the IBF belt which seems to be the belt for the 2nd tier middleweights who won’t challenge the best. Geales biggest win by far was a close split decision over Sturm who went on to lose unanimously to 38yo Sam Soliman.

Well said Rex, at least Mundine had the stones to test himself against the best in the division in Ottke an Kessler, both were undefeated and ranked #1 when he fought them. This close fight gives Geale an excuse to keep staying well clear of Martinez and Golovkin and you can throw in Chavez jr and Quillan as well, and pursue a rematch with Sturm or Barker for the IBF MINOR championship. Don’t understand why Soliman isn’t the mandatory after a unanimous win over Sturm when Geale could only manage a split decision. Don’t expect Geale to fight Soliman either, a loss to Soliman would reduce Geale to cab driver status.

Frankie you’re wrong again like your first post, one of the judges that had Barker the winner gave Geale the last round. Soliman is no longer suspended, after his B sample was cleared the IBF re-instated him as #1 contender and mandatory challenger. He lodged an appeal to the (BDB) the German Bund Deutscher berofsboxwer to protest the ban and the no contest ruling, his 9 month ban has been lifted pending the appeal, he is free to fight. Seems to be some confusion over who the mandatory challenger is with most sources claiming it’s Sturm, but the IBF website has Soliman as #1 and that’s after Sturm v Radosevic with Radosevic down to #10 from 4. Soliman tested positive to methylsynephrine a natural plant extract that can aid weight loss it is not a PED performance enhancing drug as you say and is not banned by the IBF it can be found in totally legal energy drinks which Sam claims were the source.

August 22nd 2013 @ 4:08pm The Greatest Game Of All
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| August 22nd 2013 @ 4:08pm | Report comment

You can clearly see on the scorecard the judge that gave it to barker 116-111 originally scored a 9 to Geale for the last round then scribbled over and wrote 10, would’ve been 117-110 to Barker! Wonder if Geale noticed that.